Count - Six Harmony Mantis?

[Braden]

Hey Count, is the style of mantis you practice six harmony?

Could you share any of your experiences of this style with me?

I know you have a good deal of both mantis and bagua experience. How do you think they compare? Are they complementary? You have spoken a little before comparing their stepping methods. I have been told that studying mantis could offer another viewpoint to close-range fighting that may compliment what I learn from bagua. I may be moving to Toronto at some point, and have been told James Guo is definitely someone to look up. From what I have heard, I have always been drawn to the liu he tang lang style. However, there is essentially no information on it available!

I would love to see it in action, however the stylists here focus on seven stars. If you (or anyone else reading) could offer some flavor on the style, that would be greatly appreciated. The forms, intent, theory, fighting method, auxiliary training, anything would be very interesting.

I offer my thanks and apologize for what is probably a bizarrely phrased post - I'm half-asleep and more-than-half-addled from paper-writing.

[count]

Hi Braden,

I think learning Mantis will definitely help in terms of fighting skills. It's a very direct and combative system. There are major similarities and major differences between mantis and bagua, but certainly complimentary. Both have good grappling techniques, kicks and elbows etc. and are similar in the way low line kicks and sweeps evolve from the steps and footwork. But the major difference is in the energy. Bagua makes more use of chan su jin (reeling silk energy) and 6 harmonies mantis is more hoppy, springy energy. Maybe 8 step mantis with it's sliding steps might be more to your liking? Bagua is totally continuous but mantis uses less movement and more explosive techniques. Bagua takes a more circular approach and mantis a more angular one. From a personal point of view, mantis always comes out in my bagua but I think my bagua has helped my mantis more than the other.

I know less about James Guo than almost any of the other Wu Tang'ers here in North America but I can e-mail you more information after class either Friday or Saturday. Maybe one of the other Wu Tang'ers in this forum could share more information?

:)